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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25961536">Conflicting Feelings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saakura93/pseuds/Saakura93'>Saakura93</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Life Is Strange (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Friendship, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:01:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,570</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25961536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saakura93/pseuds/Saakura93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan Prescott - The king of Blackwell who was tortured and tormented by his surrounding and emotions finally had what he needed Max Caulfield only to have it be snatched away as his best friend come to know about his 'betrayal' and the series of event that take place after the moment that lead him to the general realization that no matter what was to come, he was in love. Will he be able to mend the bridges he burned and find his way to Max or is he late?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Nathan Prescott</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The POV of Victoria Chase</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victoria was pissed and rightfully so. There were only few things she has come to know she hates: Betrayal by a friend, Max Caulfield and lastly the useless attention people give her. It’s like the selfie ho knows how to say the right word to please people, unlike Rachel Amber who was able to blend in with others like a chameleon, Max was always dissonant, yet they just substitute her for Rachel, like what the fuck??</p>
<p>Her stride was long and eyes glaring and nobody dared move in her way as she was a girl on a mission, mission to just burn everyone. <em>To hell with you all assholes</em> her mind screamed.</p>
<p>“Max has a gift” she can still hear the word Mr. Jefferson uttered in the class. He was always praising her for no reason.</p>
<p><em>Oh Max took a selfie but still got the answer…oh Max wait I want you to submit the Everyday Heroes contest photo, yours will be best I am sure…I am here you asshole actually approaching you for the shit Max couldn’t give two flying fucks about, </em>her thoughts were running wild.</p>
<p>She heard the phone vibrate in her pocket and ignored, the vibrating continued then suddenly stopped.</p>
<p>To make matter worse there was Nathan whom she caught sneakily pulling Max into a vacant class which was followed by a giggle!! Not a quite gasp or a yelp..a fucking giggle. I mean what the hell? What the fuck is happening?</p>
<p>Before she witnesses anything which will scar her for life, she turned around and left strides long and eyes glaring.</p>
<p>The signs were always there, she should have known. Nathan’s ever presence in class, staring off into the distance, yeah because ‘<em>shit Victoria I wasn’t starring at her!’</em></p>
<p>The absence of animosity in his words whenever she brought up Max ‘I am too cool to be called Maxine” Caulfield out of spite and anger was forever present in the air for almost 2 weeks now.</p>
<p>Suddenly she came to a halt only to realize yesterday when she found Nathan Prescott, face flushed and laughing nervously before he walked toward her door. ”H-How did you know I was coming?” he choked out nervously.</p>
<p>Then her anger increased 3 fold as she closed her door with all her might. Taking deep breathes in, she felt her body shake and a lone tear escaped out of her eyes. Her lips quivering she felt her body fell on her bad as she covered her face with her hands.</p>
<p>She threw her phone away when she saw Nathan’s face brightening the screen, and few minutes later her door opened and closed and she felt strong arms held her. The familiar scent assaulted her nostrils and her shoulder started shaking more violently as the dam was broken.</p>
<p>“Shh..shh..shh..what happened?” she heard him say.</p>
<p>“Go away” she pushed him, well at least tried but her body was drained of its energy.</p>
<p>“Vic..hey” he took her face in his palm and looked into her eyes, concern etching his face. As her green as scanned Nathan’s face, she could see the forever present blue veins under his eyes were missing. She pushed his hands away to inspect him some more only to see the smile on his face was light and sincere while he seemed less jittery and somehow it made her more angry.</p>
<p>“You seem less jittery” she spoke up with disdain in her voice.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah” he laughed nervously, “I feel good nowadays” he said almost shyly, smiling to himself holding a secret within.</p>
<p>“I am sure. Must be getting enough fuck” she couldn’t help the word that came out of her mouth, her eyes grew wide as she saw the frown start adoring Nathan’s face.</p>
<p>“What?” he barked, suddenly angry, his old self peeking through. He stood up, hand clenching and unclenching before he started thinking of words to say.</p>
<p>“Did anything happen?” he asked, warmth gone by now.</p>
<p>“Oh I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me? What is happening Nathan?” the question directed at him suddenly left him confused, which irritated Victoria more. Where is the guilt? Where is the shame?</p>
<p>Her brain started going blank and the words that came out of her mouth fired without being filtered, the boy who was smiling before her eyes only 5 minutes ago was pale and angry and a bit hurt.</p>
<p>It was as if time stopped and he was stuck onto the ground.</p>
<p>“What the fuck did you say?” he growled at Victoria and she felt ruthless, powerful.</p>
<p><em>Max Caulfield deserves this- </em>the devil on her shoulder whispered.</p>
<p>“I said Samantha left you” She uttered again, her voice growing much more powerful and loud. “Why do you think Max is any different?” she bakred.</p>
<p>“VICTORIA..shut the fuck up” he growled, she can see the doubt that she planted within his mind slowly growing into a tree, roots deep in his soul.</p>
<p>“She is fucking using you” Victoria was by far gone now. “I am still here while she will leave you high and dry” her word echoed in his mind like the bullet wound and his hand start shuddering, out if anger or side effect, he didn’t know. The walls was closing in on him and he turned around, ready to leave the room as it was on fire, he don’t need such negativity when he has been feeling so happy for days now and so he ran.</p>
<p>Victoria too ran out of her door still screaming, “Nathan they all use us and leave us, nobody but us…” her word died in her mouth as she saw a confused Max started power walking towards Nathan, her arms outstretched to engulf him in her arms and felt a butterfly, a symbolism of victory as he shoved her away in rejection.</p>
<p>“Stay out of my way you nosy little bitch” he screamed at her before walking out of the hostel to lord knows where.</p>
<p>There was hurt and confusion, pain and misery as Max started watering and she nothing but ran into her room, shutting the door behind her without any gentleness.</p>
<p>“What a fake little bitch” Victoria whispered as she went back into her room, closed her door and meditated for few hours.</p>
<p>It was 2 am on her clock and Nathan wasn’t replying to any of her texts, so she let the slumber drift her into a dreamless sleep.</p>
<p>That was the last time, Nathan talked to Max, who at first tried to text him, call him and even came to his dorm room being a clingy little slut she was but when she realized Nathan won’t respond the way she wants, she was outta his hair, now stuck on Warren like a leech.</p>
<p>Nathan still talked to her sometimes, but he has created a distance between them now. His sleepless eyes and anger was back and even when she felt guilty she felt she did the right thing by saving him from Max. Right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Kate knows best.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys, Chapter 2 is here. I hope you will like it. Make sure to review so that I can work on my shortcomings and give you a better version of what I am thinking. I already have a sequel in mind for the story. Do tell me if you are interested. Now on with the chapter. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>13/08/2013</p><p> </p><p>Like everybody else in the world, Kate Marsh too had her ups and downs and times when she felt the burden of the world. And at times like this, she doesn’t really like talking to anybody else. Her dorm room was her safe haven and her pet Alice is the only best friend she loves to spend her time with. Well, feeding Alice or drinking tea with Max, who loves to listen to her whenever Kate wants her opinion to be heard, hanging onto her every word. She has found that at times Max has come through for her when she needed her, always picking up her phone, texting as soon as she can, and whatnot.</p><p>And that was today’s plan too. She has already received a text from Max about a date to two whales diner and she was already waiting for Max to come. It was 5 past 6 when she heard the commotion in the corridor, a ‘Stay outta my way you nosy little bitch’ was too clear to be ignored and the voice belonged to none other than Nathan Prescott. She felt her heart jump into her throat as she made her way into the corridor only to see Max’s door shut. She felt sadness engulfing her when she realized that there’s a possibility that Nathan uttered those words to Max, and her heart broke for the young girl.</p><p>She was contemplating what to do and what not to do, her palm pushing the door close and she turned around, deciding it’s best to give Max’s some space when she heard her phone vibrate on the bed. Alice was out of her cage and was jumping around the whole room, sniffing around anything and everything that was within her reach before she saw her owner sit on the bed, her leg dangling above from bed, seemingly a sign of a game since she started running around the circle of Kate’s leg, sniffing every few second.</p><p>“Let’s take a rain check” Max’s text read and Kate felt herself reaching for the door once again, this time mind made up about the situation. Max has always been there whenever she needed her, It about time Kate too gives her a shoulder to cry on and so she walked towards Max’s door. The night was suddenly setting in too fast, as orange hues of the sky have been disappeared into the horizon chasing after the sun leaving cold breeze behind. She was in front of the door, wondering what to say, how to say.</p><p>To be honest, Kate was very much aware of Max and Nathan’s secret relationship, probably from the start. She wasn’t being nosy or anything, it was just she was sitting in the school campus, bathing in the evening sunlight when she saw Max half walking half running her way to the dorm, Kate was about to yell her name to grab Max’s attention however before that another person made their way into her eyesight. Red jacket, blond sleek hair, hands in pocket, carefree stride, it was none other than King of Blackwell and he seem to be following Max which was bad news if you have an idea of the past and so she stood and started running towards them, her hand shaking, breathe coming short, heart bombarding the ribs to come out, she felt the ever-present resistance in her legs but she still willed her mind to move forward. By the time she put her jelly leg onto the campus property, both Max and Nathan had disappeared, vanished into thin air. She still made her way toward the dormitory when she heard the little giggle opposite of the dorm gate, behind a big rock situated behind the tobanga.  There was no confusion who they were, as it was easy to hear Max and Nathan talking about anything and everything, veiled within their own little world.</p><p>“So tell me Maxinnnne” Nathan was teasing her like it was an everyday situation to which Max elbowed him before begging him to stop, however, it was very much clear she wasn’t serious as she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped, her hands trying to hush Nathan from taking her full name. The scenery played before Kate seems so otherworldly given that she has never seen Nathan smile so much, even with Victoria and Max was always either serious, quiet, or shy. But the girl at the moment was very much playful and comfortable in her preferred company. Suddenly she felt the laughter has died down and upturned her head to see Nathan holding onto Max’s wrist and was he kissing her? Oh my god! Kate felt her cheeks burn and turned around feeling embarrassed at the intrusion. She started walking toward the girl dormitory hoping that they don’t notice her. The next time Kate saw Max after that was when the said girl was getting into the dormitory, her smile wide and eyes full of light.</p><p>“Hey Kate” Kate heard Max say, her voice so distant like that of the past and finally realized she was still standing in front of her door, Max door by now was wide open, her eyes red and glassy. She sniffed her red nose which seemed it was runny from all the crying she must be doing. Max had a small smile on her face, which hardly reached her eyes and she opened her door wide to welcome Kate without another word.</p><p>“Sorry, I totally forgot I had so much homework to do, can we go I don’t know maybe tomorrow or something? ” Max asked turning around slowly making her way toward the cupboard where her hifi sat still, turning down the volume of some music it was blasting.</p><p>Kate examined Max’s room to see everything in its perfect place, she walked in closing the door behind her and walked toward Lisa which seems to be asking for some water and that’s what she did, she gave Lisa some water while Max stood by her bed awkwardly, fidgeting with her hands, trying to figure out the reason for Kate’s visit.</p><p>Kate turned around to look at Max, finally give a girl a good look to see dark circles under her eyes and tired smile gracing her lips. She was trying very hard not to spill the tears and let out a shaky breathe with force.</p><p>“Sometimes it’s really hard to ignore those assholes,” she said, her voice quivering, as a lone tear made its way out of her eyes and then another and then another. She was a mess, she knew but what she didn’t know was how to get out of the stupor she has got herself into.</p><p>Kate ran to her, arms reaching before she was within the reach of Max and held her tight like a mother, she let Max cry rubbing her arms with as much love and care she can give in the moment, rocking her back and forth and felt Max pain the way her voice was getting louder with the second, her body jerking with the impact. She felt Max’s tiredness engulfing her and her eyes burned to see the other girl in distress. The memory of Nathan and Max just a week ago seems like a memory of past life. And so she too silently cried for the girl, feeling her pain drenching her soul.</p><p>By the time Kate left Max’s room, it was late. Almost 2 hours within which Max told her anything and everything from how Nathan and Max started seeing each other to her fight with Chloe when she stood up for Nathan only for Nathan to shrug her away like a rag. Seeing Nathan and Max in their element it was no doubt that they can be good for each other but since the last week, she was afraid for this moment when Max will break and become just a shallow part of herself.</p><p>“What will you do in the future, Kate?” Max asked, curious.</p><p>They were in the school front yard, taking in the sunlight’s warmth. Today was the day of final submission on the project they were doing and after a long week of working and working and more working, the relaxation felt more like a reward of their hard work. It has been almost 2 and a half months since Max broke up with Nathan and 3 days since Max stopped crying herself to sleep. Kate can feel her bones warming up, a small smile plastered on her face. Max was tracing some pattern onto her jean which was tickling her, Max’s head comfortably lying on her mid-thigh.</p><p>“I want to” Kate whispered thinking hard. “I want to be an artist for kid’s book” she murmured, her eyes closed, hands tracing patterns on the ground.</p><p>She felt Max's head move in confirmation. “Well you do make cute drawings!” she said.</p><p>“What about you?” Kate wondered out loud.</p><p>“Well, I am thinking…” Max said before she went silent and Kate felt her tense up, moving up slowly from her lying position. Kate opened her eyes to see Max stare at someone, Kate turned her face toward the same direction to see none other than Nathan Prescott standing still, his eyes begging. He slowly took a step forward, waiting for Max to react. Slowly he took a few more steps before Kate heard Max cough. Kate was so lost in staring at the moment happening that she didn’t realize that Max was looking at her with a questioning gaze. “What” she breathed out the word still confused.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Max gave her a small smile before repeating her words again. “I’ll be in my room, take your time” and before Kate could register what was happening Max stood up and started walking towards the girl dorm putting distance between Nathan and her.</p><p>“Wait..fuck…shit” Nathan screamed before he too ran after Max. Kate too stood up to see the scene playing as Max jerked her hand away from Nathan, whose hands were up as if he is surrendering. She can hardly hear the words as they were spoken in a whisper, but while Nathan looked desperate and hurt, Max felt betrayed and discouraging. When Nathan went in to hold onto Max again, she pushed him away, uttering something that broke Nathan down. He didn’t try to follow her after that.</p><p>Head low, shoulder hunched he sat on the rock near tobanga again, a cigarette in his hand, lit and almost half-burned, another hand rubbing at his eyes. He felt eyes on his back and turned around to see Kate staring at him, who suddenly looked away and started walking towards the dormitory herself.</p><p>“Kate” she heard him say and halted to feel him jog run towards her.</p><p>“How is she?” Nathan asked her which was surprising as his tone was soft and curious.</p><p>“She finally stopped crying if that’s what you are asking” she replied politely but still upset at Nathan for giving such a hardship to her friend.</p><p>“If anything happens can you please inform me?” he asked to which Kate nodded. A minute passed with Kate looking at the ground which Nathan was longingly looking in the direction of Max’s room. After a long breath, he turned around and started walking away. However, Kate’s little voice stopped him in his tracks as the question on her mouth was something he never expected to hear.</p><p>“If you were so much in love with her, why did you break her?” she wanted to know. She knew Nathan’s struggle, it was one of the reasons she never said a thing when Victoria and Nathan teased her but playing with somebody’s heart, she never expected Nathan to be like that, especially when he too seems to be craving love and warmth.</p><p>He turned around looking directly into her eyes and uttered the words he truly believed himself. “Because I fuck up and I break everything that I love”. And he was gone.</p><p>There was many a time after that when he asked her about Max and honestly she felt a little jealous, not because she too liked him, but to have someone who loves you even from distance is such a beautiful concept and at times like those she felt that Nathan and Max were truly good for each other. Time just was not on their side at the moment. Kate never told Max about whatever happened with Nathan though, feeling Max may get offended however talking to him about Max seemed like the best thing to do, given how sad he looked. However after they went their different ways and Max still didn’t wish to talk to him, Kate understood and asked him politely to stop asking her about Max. It was amusing really because he got annoyed and started throwing curses here and there but then went quit and accepted defeat. That was the last time, Kate ever heard from him, which she is glad for.</p><p> </p><p> 3 years later.</p><p>Kate was almost done with her project. Only 5 pages left and she still had almost a week before submission. She had to wake up early in the morning as she was volunteering for the nursery kids nearby and decided to fall asleep early. She was about to drift into the sweet dreams when she felt her phone vibrate and a photo of her and Max glowing on the screen.</p><p>“Hey Max,” she said with a smile as soon as she picked up.</p><p>“Hey, Kate” Max’s voice was hushed and sad which made Kate frown.</p><p>“Hey you okay?” she inquired.</p><p>“Yeah I am totally fine” Max sniffed and blew a long breath out.</p><p>“How is Andrew?” Kate decided to change the subject to change Max’s mood.</p><p>“He proposed to me” she suddenly said, Kate was surprised unsure of what to say.</p><p>“M-Max but you guys just started going out” “I know” she heard a little whimper and felt bad for the girl.</p><p>“Max” “Kate,” they said together and went silent.</p><p>“Yeah” Kate spoke holding onto her breath trying to listen to what Max wants to say.</p><p>“I miss Nathan” and Max started crying again, her sobs turning loud and breathe few and far in between.</p><p>“Oh, Max…” And Kate cannot do anything but shed some silent tears for her best friend.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi dear readers,</p>
<p>Being new to the fandom, the very first thing i did after finishing the game was start reading fanfiction all of which are such an amazing work by the writers. Kuddos to them cutie bears. Anyways i also tried my take on the writing and hopefully will be able to ignite an interest in you all like others do.<br/>It will be an honor to get the reviews as i believe criticism is a bridge to the perfection one must take. Hoping to hear from you. Till next time.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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